Smoke alarms warning after lucky escape from Tunstall takeaway fire

FIREFIGHTERS have warned landlords and tenants after five people had a lucky escape from a blaze at a takeaway.

An electrical fault caused the blaze at Hamza Fried Chicken, in High Street, Tunstall, which started in the kitchen before spreading to the flat above.

The owner of the takeaway was alerted to the fire by a passing taxi driver at around 2am on August 22. He then contacted the occupants of the flat and they left the building.

Station manager Ed Case, who led the incident, said: "I cannot stress what a lucky escape the tenants of this flat had. It was such a co-incidence that the taxi driver, who happened to know the owner of the premises, passed the building when he did. As it was, nobody was hurt, but the damage to the shop and flat was severe.